Darkness into Light suicide prevention fundraiser set for May 7 in Calgary

Calgarians are being invited to take in a sunrise on Saturday, along with walking, biking, running or hiking, as part of Darkness Into Light in support of suicide prevention services. (Contributed)

Calgarians are again being invited to help bring Darkness into Light in support of those dealing with mental health issues, including depression and suicide.

The annual fundraiser — set for 5:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 7 at the downtown side of the Peace Bridge — is part of a series of events being held around the globe organized by Pieta, Ireland's leading suicide prevention charity.

Participants will light candles, then the group will walk a 5.9 kilometre loop along the pathway to the Crowchild Trail bridge and back.

The effort is being done at sunrise, said Calgary organizer Sharon Whelton, to symbolize the hope of moving from darkness into light.

Funds raised in Calgary will go toward the Calgary Distress Centre, which provides 24-hour support to those experiencing personal or emotional crisis through its phone line at 403-266-4357. Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek is expected to take part.

Similar events are also planned in Edmonton and Vancouver.

The walks began in 2009 with a five kilometre course in Ireland and have since expanded worldwide.

Around the world, close to 800,000 people take their own lives each year, which equates to one person every 40 seconds, according to Pieta.

Organizers say 50 per cent of registrations and 100 per cent of proceeds raised remain in local communities to support suicide prevention efforts.

Whelton says the effort, started locally in 2015, has brought in about $36,000 for the Distress Centre and she hopes to surpass the $40,000 mark this year.

"That would be a nice end result, but we don't want this event to end anytime soon," she said.

"(Distress Centre) is an incredibly important organization."

For more information, or to register, visit the Darkness Into Light website.